All York Councillors Travel Expenses to be Put Online

The cost of all travel taken by councillors of all political parties will automatically go online, it has been agreed.

The council leader, Coun. James Alexander, put the proposal to a meeting of the leaders of all political groups this week, which was unanimously agreed.

The new system will cover all councillor travel paid for by the council, regardless of which council department pays for it. The current system only covers costs recorded by the department responsible for support to elected councillors.

He said:

“There has been a great deal of interest in travel costs in recent months and I agree that the system we are working under is in need of updating. Politicians of all parties take council-funded travel to different parts of the country in the business of the council and their roles as councillors.

“For example, some parties have representatives attending Local Government Association meetings in London on a fairly regular basis, so all travel costs should be transparent.

“I am perfectly happy for the public to scrutinise my travel which is an essential part of my job as council leader. And I take it from the cross-party agreement that others will be too. The public will be able to see not only the cost but where and why a councillor is travelling in the course of their work”.

The exact detail of when and how expenses will be published will be confirmed in the coming weeks, however all costs are subject to FOI requests at any time.